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ICECREAM
Food Standards (Icecream) Regulations, 1959
Labelling of food (Amendment) Regulations, 1959
The composition of 33 icecream samples submitted to the public analyst during the
year showed an average composition of 7.6% fat.
Grading
Icecream is submitted to the Public Health Laboratory for bacteriological examination
The icecream is graded according to the time taken to decolorise a dye, methylene
blue. The test is a provisional one and because of the many factors which govern the
hygienic quality of icecream it is recommended officially that judgment should be
based on a series of samples and that too much attention should not be paid to the
result of an individual sample. It is suggested that over a six-monthly period, at
least 50 per cent. of a vendor's samples should fall into grade I, 80 per cent. into
grades I or II, not more than 20 per cent. in grade III and none into grade IV.
During the year 15 samples of icecream were submitted for bacteriological
examination with the following results:—

In general, grades I and II are satisfactory, while grades III and IV may indicate
some defect in manufacture, handling or storage. Such cases are followed up and
advice given.

Adulteration
The number of samples taken during the year under the Foods and Drugs Act was
745. After examination the public analyst reported that 36 samples were adulterated
below standard or insufficiently described by label. This accounts for 4.8 per cent, of
all samples submitted.
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